Quick adjusting means for relatively positionable members



Nov. 12, 1963 F. c. PACHTER 3,110,111

quxcx ADJUSTING MEANS FOR RELATIVELY POSITIONABLE MEMBERS Filed Aug. 1, 1960 INVEN TOR. Frank C. Paclzier B Y m QM FIG. 5

United States Patent head 3,110,111 QUICK ADJUSTEWG NiEANS FGR RELATWELY ?01TIGNABLE MEMBERS Frank G. Paehter, 7195 Snrnmerdale Ave, Cmcago, ill. Filed Aug. l, 196% Ser. No. 46,683 4 Claims. (Cl. 33l54) This invention relates in general to quickly adjustable means for relatively positionable members, and more particularly to such means that are specifically applicable to manually operable tools or draughtsmans instruments, like bow-type compasses, dividers or calipers.

A principal object of the invention is to facilitate quick and accurate adjustments of relatively movable members comprising such a tool or instrument and securing thereof in selectable adjusted positions.

Another important object is the provision in a manually operable tool or instrument of quick adjustable means for such purpose which may be actuated with the same hand that is supporting or holding the tool or instrument.

A further object of the invention is to provide such means in the form of separate coarse and line adjustment mechanisms selectively operable to insure maximum speed of adjustment under all circumstances of use.

Numerous other objects and advantages or the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational View of one embodiment of this invention as incorporated in a bow-type compass;

FIG. 2 is a detail vertical section through the left-most leg member of the compass of FIG. 1 showing the mounting thereon of the fine adjustment mecharu'sm of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 through the rightmost leg member of the compass of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail elevational view of a portion of one of the leg members of an instrument similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating a modified form of slide means;

FIG. 5 is an elevational View as seen from the right side of PEG. 4, with parts of that mechanism removed and some parts thereof in section;

FIG. 6 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an elevational View similar to PEG. 1 showing the instant invention applied to a pair of calipers; and

FIG. 9 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. l3 of the drawings, one embodiment of the instant invention is therein illustrated as applied to a standard bow-type compass. The latter, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 11, comprises a pair of leg members, including a first or leftmost leg 12 and a second or rightmost leg 13, which are pivotally secured together adjacent their upper ends at 14 in well-known manner. A ring spring 15 engages the outer portions of the upper ends of these leg members 12 and 13 in the usual arrangement to constrain the lower or opposite ends of the leg members away from each other. The compass also preferably is provided with a manually engageable member 16 to facilitate rotation or oscillation of the compass during use which extends through an aperture in the ring spring 15 and at its lower end screw-threadedly engages the pivot means 14.

Extending through and rotatably mounted in the leftmost or first leg member 12 is a nut means 17 preferably comprising a sleeve bridging the usual slot 18 extending Bdlhdll "ice through the leg member 12 (FIG. 2) and expanded at its outer ends in well-known manner to prevent translational movement longitudinally thereof relative to the leg member. Rotatably mounted in the sleeve is a nut 19 which is provided with a transversely extending tapped aperture that may be aligned at its opposite ends with laterally extending apertures 21 in the sleeve.

Screw-threadedly engaging the nut means 17 is a first threaded portion 22 of a screw or bolt means indicated generally by reference numeral 23. When the sleeve of the nut means 17 is fixedly secured to the first leg member 12, as shown in PEG. 2, the apertures 21 therein provide clearance between the sleeve and this first threaded portion 22 or" the screw means 23 during relative movements between the latter and the leg 12. The screw or bolt means 23 also includes a second portion 24 at the opposite end from, and reversely threaded with respect to, the first portion 22, and a :mwually rotatable means 25 intermediate its ends and preferably comprising a knurled disc operable to effect fine adjustments in a manner later to be described.

ScreW-threadedly engaging the second portion 24 of the bolt means 23 is one end of a slide 26 which is mounted on the rightmost or second leg member .13 for longitudinal translational movement relative thereto. Such mounting is accomplished by a sleeve 27 extending through and rotatably mounted in suitable apertures in, and connected in any desired manner to, the leg member 13 and bridging the customary slot 23 provided in the leg member (FIG. 3) which is similar to the previously noted slot 13 in the first leg member 12. The sleeve 27 has a transversely extending aperture 29 for slidably receiving the slide 26.

The slide 26 and its mounting means comprise coarse or quick adjusting means which also includes means operable to secure or lock the slide against movement relative to the second leg member 13 and manually operable to release the slide for translational adjustment relative the leg 13. This latter means in the modification of FIG. 1 comprises a set screw 31 disposed in a suitable tapped aperture extending through one end of the sleeve 27 and communicating with the slide-receiving aperture 29' therein. The inner end of the set screw 31 thus is adapted to engage slide 26 to retain it against movement relative to the sleeve 27. The outer end of the set screw 31 is provided with means manually operable to rotate it which preferably comprises a crank arm 32 secured inany suitable manner thereto so as to facilitate manual release and clamping or locking of the slide 26 with the same hand that is supporting the instrument 11.

Thus it will be seen that with the instrument or tool 11 held in one hand, an operator conveniently may digitally actuate the crank arm 32 with that same hand to release the slide 26 to facilitate quick coarse adjustments of the relatively positionable members 12 and 13 and to secure the sarne against unintentional relative movement in selected adjusted position. With that same hand, the operator also may actuate the separate fine adjustment mechanism 23 by rotating the knurled disc 25 to eliect extremely accurate adjustments of the members 12 and 13 relative to each other.

As will be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 1, when the leg members 12 and 13 are widely spread, and particularly if the disc 25' is disposed close to the leg 12, interference might occur between the latter and the disc 25. This may be avoided by forming a notch 33 in the leg member 12 to provide clearance for the manually operable disc 25 under such circumstances. it also has been found desirable to limit relative movement between the second or rightmost leg member 13 and the slide 26 which may be accomplished by providing suitable abutment means on the slide for limiting cent either the outer or both ends of the slide 26 and extending beyond that part 35 of the outer surface of the slide which is en ageable by the inner end of the set screw 31. Flatting the outer surface of slide 26 to provide the screw-engageable part 35 may be employed to form the abutment means 34, and the flatted part 35 also will cooperate with the set screw 31, even when the latter is released'to permit longitudinal movement of the slide relative to the leg member 13, to prevent rotation of the slide relative to, and about the longitudinal axis of, the fine adjustment screw means 23.

In FZGS. 4-7, a modified form of coarse adjustment means comprising a slide 36 and means for mounting and releasably locking the same are illustrated which may be substituted for the slide 26 and members 27-32 for use with the previously described fine adjustment means 23 or other mechanism equivalent thereto, either in the same type of instrument as the compass 11 or any other desired tool having relatively positionable mern ers. As shown, this modified slide 36 is mounted on a member 37 similar to tthe leg member 13 and, like the latter, having a suitable slot 33 extending therethrough comparable to the previously described slot 18. The slide 35 preferably is non-circular in cross section and comprises a rack with teeth 39 formed on an outer surface thereof. It is preferred that such tooth means 39 be provided only on the rear surface of the rack 36, although it will be understood that the latter could take the form of an outwardly threaded screw or bolt.

The means illustrated for mounting the slide 36 on the member 37 includes a sleeve 41 rotatably mounted suitable apertures in those portions of the member 37 separated from each other by the slot 38 and having an aperture 42 extending transversely therethrough for slidably receiving the slide 36. If the slide 36 has a noncircular cross section and this aperture 42 is similarly shaped in section, the same will prevent rotation of the slide 36 about its longitudinal axis. The sleeve 41 also is provided with a pair of axially extending slots 43 disposed in diametrically opposed relationship to each other in its outer surface (FIG. 6) which are joined at their rear ends by a slot 44 (H8. 7) in its rear end surface. These slots 43, 44 slidably receive a U-shaped member 45, the legs of which are disposed respectively in the slots 43 and the base portion of which is seated in the slot 44. The inner edge of this base portion of the U-shaped member 45 is provided with tooth means .46 engageable with the teeth 3? of the slide 35, the member 45 and its teeth 46 thus comprising 'a dog slidably mounted on the sleeve 41 for engagement with, and disengagement from, the teeth of the rack slide 36. The forward end of the tJ-shaped member 45 has a disc 47 mounted thereon in any suitable manner, and spring means in the form of a coil spring is mounted on the member 45 and interposed between the disc 47 and the upper surface of the member 37. This spring means thus functions to constrain the teeth 46 of the U-shaped member or dog 45 forwardly into engagement with the teeth 39 of the slide 36. Such mounting of the dog 4-5 in the sleeve ll and of the latter in the member 37 prevents longitudinal displacement of the slide 36 relative to the member 3? whenever the dog is in its forward position with il$ifl1 d6 engaging the rack teeth 39. Of course, merely by depressing the disc 47 to compress the spring 48, the teeth of the dog readily may be disengaged from the tee h 39 of the slide to permit longitudinal adjustment of the latter relative to the member 37. The mechanism 36-48 thus constitutes a modified form of coarse or quicl; adjustment means.

136 further modification illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 shows the instant invention applied to a different type of tool or instrument comprising a pair or" calipers indicated enerally by reference numeral W and having leg members 51 and 52 pivotally joined adjacent their upper ends 53, similar to the pivotal mounting 14- of the leg members and 13, and provided with a ring spring 54 like the previously described spring 15. This instrument differs from the compass 11 in that the leg members 51 52 are fiat and of insufiicient thickness to accommo- 7 tained in the sleeve 55 for threadedly engaging the first portion 22 of the screw means 23.

A second sleeve 57 generally similar to the sleeve 55 is mounted in like manner on the other leg member 52, as best seen in FIG. 9. This sleeve 57 is provided with a transversely d osed aperture 58 for slidably receiving the slide 2%, and a suitable tapped aperture extending rearwardly from its forward end into that aperture 5'8 to threadedly' receive the set screw 31 previously described. Thus it will be seen that the modification illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 difiers from that on FIGS. 13 only in the specific means for mounting the coarse and line adjustment mechanisms.

it will be appreciated that this invention is readily applicable to other instruments and tools than those her -n illustrated, for enarnple a vise, wherein relatively pos tenable members are employed and it is desired to facilitate quick and accurate adjustments thereof. it is thought t at the invention many of its attendant advantages wiil be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or'sacrificing all of its material advans, the forms hereinbefore described and shown in the ran ings being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

1 claim:

1. In an instrument or tool having first and second members mounted for adjustable movement relative to each other, means for securing said members in selectable adjusted position and facilitating quick and accurate adjustmet or" said members to such position, comprising nut means carried by said first member, screw means having a first threaded portion engaging said nut means and a second portion reversely threaded with respect to said first portion, a slide threadedly engaged at one end with said second portion, means rotatably mounted on said second member for slidably receiving said slide for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto, quick adjustment means manually operable to release said slide for longitudinal adjustable movement relative to said second member and operable to secure said slide in selected adjusted position a ainst longitudinal movement relative to said second member, and manually rotatable means for rotating said screw means to effect fine adjustments of said members relative to each other, said slide being provided with rack-like teeth on its outer surface, and said quick adjustment means comprising a dog slidably mounted on said second member for engagement with and disengagement from said teeth.

2. in a device according to claim 1, a spring constraining said dog into engagement with said teeth, and digitally operable means for moving said dog against the action of said spring to disengage the same from said teeth.

3. In an instrument or tool having first and second members mounted for adjustable movement relative to each other, means for securing said members in selectable adjusted position and facilitating quick and accurate adjustment of said members to such position, comprising nut means carried by said first member, screw means having a first threaded portion engaging said nut means and a second portion reversely threaded with respect to said first portion, a slide threadedly engaged at one end with said second portion, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said second member and having an aperture therethrough for receiving said slide, coarse adjustment means carried by said sleeve and manually operable to secure said slide in selected adjusted position against movement relative thereto, and manually rotatable means for rotating said screw means to effect fine adjustments of said members relative to each other, said coarse adjustment means comprising a dog slidably mounted on said sleeve having tooth means engageable with said slide, and spring means constraining said tooth means into clamping engagement with said slide.

I $3 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said slide is provided with rack-like teeth on its outer surface for engagement by said tooth means. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,833 Basinger Mar. 22, 1887 1,749,491 Kokay Mar. 4, 1930 2,401,321 Schmend June 4, 1946 2,428,964 Fife Oct. i14, 1947 2,831,255 Ebert Apr. 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 442,929 Italy Dec. 3, 1948 722,242 Great Britain Jan. 19, 1955 

1. IN AN INSTRUMENT OR TOOL HAVING FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR ADJUSTABLE MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID MEMBERS IN SELECTABLE ADJUSTED POSITION AND FACILITATING QUICK AND ACCURATE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID MEMBERS TO SUCH POSITION, COMPRISING NUT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FIRST MEMBER, SCREW MEANS HAVING A FIRST THREADED PORTION ENGAGING SAID NUT MEANS AND A SECOND PORTION REVERSELY THREADED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST PORTION, A SLIDE THREADEDLY ENGAGED AT ONE END WITH SAID SECOND PORTION, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID SLIDE FOR LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT RELATIVE THERETO, QUICK ADJUST- 